Adjustable width paper roll support



Nov. 19, 1968 B. GREENBERG ETAL ADJUSTABLE WIDTH PAPER ROLL SUPPORT Filed April 12, 1967 United States Patent 3,411,734 ADJUSTABLE WIDTH PAPER ROLL SUPPORT Burton Greeuberg, Chicago, and Karl M. Murgas, Lincolnwood, Ill., assignors to Celeron Manufacturing Company, Skokie, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 12, 1967, Ser. No. 630,436 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-713) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for suspending and aligning paper rolls of diverse widths in a photocopy machine having two hollow flanged shafts mounted spaced apart on a rod. Each flange is positioned at an unequal distance from the respective ends of the shaft.

Background of invention This invention relates to paper roll supports, more particularly it pertains to self-aligning adjustable width rotating support means for dispensing paper from hollow core rolls.

In various duplicating and photocopy devices the paper stock upon which the reproduced image is imprinted is dispensed from rolls mounted within the apparatus. The rolled paper is fed between transport rollers and then past the photocopy or reproduction means. A cutter mechanism present in most reproduction equipment utilizing rolled paper cuts the paper into sheets as it passes through the reproduction means.

Horizontal alignment of the paper stock as it is fed between the transport rollers is critical to obtaining proper horizontal spacing and alignment of the reproduced image on the paper. It is convenient to provide in photocopy and duplicating machines for the use of paper rolls of diverse widths. For instance, modern business procedures utilize paper widths of 8 /2 inches for correspondence and 11 inches for accounting records. Engineering and accounting oflices utilize numerous varied paper widths for the recording and dissemination of various records and classes of data. Documents prepared for or obtained from electronic data processing equipment frequently utilize paper stock of special widths. Accurate and aligned reproduction of such documents is a common-place requirement in modern business offices.

Heretofore, duplicating and photocopy machines designers have made provision so that the operator could change the paper rolls in order to dispense paper of a different width. However, all of the earlier means have either required special skill on the part of the machine operator to realign the paper roll when a roll of different width paper is being mounted in the machine; or have required that a separate support and self-aligning apparatus be provided to accommodate each width of paper that is to be dispensed into the machine. When horizontal alignment of the paper dispensed from a roll is dependent upon the skill and judgment of the machine operator the reproduced copies are subject to irregular and nonsymrnetrical spacing of the image on the copy paper.

When these earlier photocopy and duplicating process machines provided a separate support means for each width of paper roll used in the machine, it was necessary to furnish accessory paper roll supports. Normally these various extra-dimensional paper roll supports are stored separately from the machines on which they are are to be used. Aside from the problems of storage space with which they are to be used, and the added costs of the extra parts, it is an increased difficulty for new or untrained operators to cope with utilizing loose parts that must be assembled properly prior to operation of the 3,411,734 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 machine. There is a need, therefore, for an improved self-aligning, adjustable width paper roll support for photocopy and duplicating machines.

Accordingly, one object of our invention is to provide an improved self-aligning paper roll support for photocopy and duplicating machines.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved adjustable width paper roll support for photocopy .and duplication machines.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an inexpensive self-aligning, adjustable width paper roll support requiring no accessory loose parts for various widths of paper rolls.

These and other objects and advantages of our invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions, drawings, specifications and claims.

Summary of invention Briefly stated our invention is an adjustable width, self-centering, paper roll support for dispensing copy paper from hollow core rolls mounted in photocopy and duplicating machines, the novel roller support comprising two hollow flanged shafts rotatably mounted in axial alignment but in spaced apart relationship on a demountable rod. The flanges are mounted to the respective shafts at spaced but unequal distances from the respective ends of the shafts. By reversing the shafts end for end respectively on the rod, the spacing between the flanges can be varied to receive paper rolls of different widths. Alignment and centering of the paper rolls is assured by reason of the fixed spacing between the flanges for each of the permitted arrangements for assembling the shafts on the rods.

Drawings FIGURE 1 is a cut-away view of a photocopy machine in which a preferred embodiment of our invention is mounted.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of our invention shown in FIGURE 1 taken on plane 2-2.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of our invention illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 but assembled to dispense paper having a width greater than that illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a cross section view of our invention as may be viewed on plane 44 in FIGURE 3.

Description of preferred embodiments of the invention Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a photocopy machine partly cut away showing a preferred embodiment of our invention assembled to dispense a relative'ly narrow width from a hollow core copy paper roll. The exterior cover of the photocopy machine shown has been removed revealing side frames 10 and 12 mounted in parallel spaced arrangement. A tray 14, a portion of the horizontal frame 16, and two juxtaposed copy paper transport rollers 18 and 20 are mounted between the side frames 10 and 12. The tray 14 and the horizontal frame 16 are rigidly attached to the side frames as shown. The copy paper transport rollers are journalled at either end respectively in four bearings, 22, 24, 26, 28. The roller 20 is powered by means of a drive chain and sprocket shown at 30.

Copy'paper 32 dispensed from a hollow core roll 34 is mounted between the two side frames 10 and 12 on our adjustable width roll support described more completely below.

By referring to FIGURE 2 the spacial relationships of the paper roll core 36 and the roll support members may be readily visualized.

The hollow cylindrical core 36 upon-which the copy 3 paper 34 is wound is rotatably supported upon two short hollow shafts 40 and '42.

The paper roll core 34 is normally made of paperboard cylinder having an inside diameter consistent, within narrow tolerances from roll to roll. The shaft 40 and 42 extend a short distance into either end of the paper roll core 36, and are sized to fit snugly into the interior diameter of the core. The shafts 40 and 42 are in turn mounted in axial alignment on a support rod 44. The support rod 44 is provided with rectangular cross section extensions 46 and 48 at the ends thereof. The side frames and 12 are provided with aligned rectangular openings 50, 52 respectively cut into the upper edges thereof as shown in FIGURE 1. The extensions 46, 48 fit into and are sized to be held without rotating in the openings 50 and 52.

The shafts 40 and 42 are hollow having cylindrical central openings 54 and 56 respectively sized to fit with a small mechanical tolerance over the support rod 44. The shafts 40 and 42 readily rotate on the rod 44. The respective axial separation of the shafts on the rod are limited by the retainer stops 53 and 69, each of which is fixedly mounted on the rod 44 at equal measured distances from the respective ends thereof.

Flanges 64, 66 are mounted on the respective shafts 40 and 42. Spacing of the flanges from the shaft ends is unequal. Shaft 40 is divided into a short length section 70 and a long length section 72 by the positioning of the flange 64 thereon; similarly shaft 42 is divided into a short section 76 and a long section 78 by the flange 66. The lengths of the short shaft sections 70 and 76 and the long sections 72 and 78 respectively are equal. The differences in length between the short sections 70, 76 and the long sections 72, 78 are defined in relationship to the paper widths which the roll support is designed to dispense. The embodiment of our invention illustrated in the drawings is designed, for instance, to dispense paper 8 /2 inches wide when assembled as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, and to dispense paper 11 inches wide when assembled as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The difference in widths of the 8 /2 and 11 inch paper is 2 /2 inches, therefore the flanges 64 and 66 are fixedly mounted on the shafts 40 and 42 respectively so that the short sections 70 and 76 are 1% inches respectively shorter than the long shaft sections 72, 78.

In the embodiment of our invention illustrated in FIG- URE 1, an original document to be copied is placed on the tray 14 juxtaposed along the left edge to a movable guide 80. When an original document is moved forward into the machine, the guide 80 positions the document laterally in order to center the image of the original document on the photocopy paper 32. When copy paper of a different width is placed on the shafts, the movable guide 80 may be moved laterally to adjust the positioning of the original document accordingly.

FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate our invention when the shafts 40 and 42 are assembled on the rod 44 with the ends of long shaft sections 72 and 78 justaposed to the retainer stops 58 and 60. In this configuration 11 inch wide paper roll may be mounted and the 11-inch paper dispensed with controlled horizontal alignment as it is fed into the copy paper rollers 18 and 20.

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate the assembly of the shafts 40 and 42 on the support rod 44 with the ends of the short shaft sections 72 and 76 juxtaposed respectively to the 4 retainer stops 58 and 69. When thus assembled 8 /2 inch wide paper may be dispensed from a hollow core roll with assured horizontal alignment with the copy paper transport rollers 18 and 20.

The paper dimensions referred to above Were selected as merely illustrative of commonly used paper widths in modern business practice. Any other preferred copy paper widths may be utilized with our invention by appropriate variation of the lateral position of the flanges 64, 66 on the shafts.

The foregoing description and specifications are intended as being merely illustrative of our invention, the scope of which. is defined by the following claims.

1. A self-aligning hollow core paper roll support, the support being adaptable to dispense paper from rolls of diverse widths, the novel support comprising two short hollow flanged shafts, one flange being fixedly mounted to each of the respective shafts in spaced nonsymmetrical relationship to the respective shaft ends, a fixedly mounted shaft support rod, the shafts being rotatably mounted on the rod in axially spaced relationship, the hollow core rolls being mounted between the flanges over the ends of the two spaced shafts, whereby hollow core rolls of diverse widths may be rotatably mounted on the shafts, between the aligning flanges, the space between the flanges being adjustable by means of reversing end for end the position of the shafts on the support rod.

2. A self-aligning hollow core paper roll support, the support being adaptable to dispense paper from rolls of diverse widths, the novel support comprising two short hollow flanged shafts, one flange being mounted to each of the respective shafts in nonsymmetrical spaced relationship to the respective shaft ends, a shaft support rod, the shafts being rotatably mounted on the rod in axially aligned spaced relationship, the hollow core rolls being mounted between the flanges over the ends of the two spaced shafts, whereby the distance between the flanges may be varied to accommodate hollow core paper rolls of diverse widths by reversing end for end the shafts positioned on the rod and therewith altering the spacing between the flanges due to the nonsymmetrical spacing thereof between the respective ends of the shafts.

3. The paper roll support of claim 2, wherein:

the outer ends of the support rod are substantially rectangularly shaped;

a pair of spaced apart opposed sidewalls; and

a substantially rectangular notch formed in each of said sidewalls, said rod being fixedly mounted when said ends are positioned in said notches.

4. The paper roll support of claim 3, wherein:

a pair of stops are fixedly mounted spaced apart on the support rod at substantially equal distances from the ends of the rod, the inner ends of the shafts being juxtaposed to said stops, the outer ends of said shafts being juxtaposed to said sidewalls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 718,410 1/1903 Young 24271.9 1,136,577 4/1915 Ahlstrom 242-719 3,017,133 1/1962 Bowler 242-71.9

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

NATHAN L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner. 

